Maybe it’s a piece of jewelry that belonged to a grandparent or a painting that’s hung on the same wall for decades. You don’t know much about it, but it’s been in the family for years and you’ve always been curious. Now is your chance to learn more! At the Aurora Public Library District’s upcoming program, ‘Listen to Your Heirlooms’, appraisal expert Carolyn Law will share research strategies to help uncover your family heirlooms’ history and value.
Heirlooms have the ability to connect generations, but unfortunately the stories can be lost over time as objects often outlast the memories. How many times have you looked at an item at a thrift shop, in a box in your attic, or stagnant in your wall and wondered, what story does this hold? Or where did this come from? Those heirlooms and antiques are evidence of lived experiences, and their stories reveal information about traditions, occupations, and daily life. But uncovering that information is difficult if you don’t know where to begin. “I wanted to offer an informative library program that evokes the feeling of wandering around an antique shop, which is something I love to do,” said librarian Ethan. “I also have a few family heirlooms myself that I know very little about and would love to learn more.”
The study of these historic, human-made objects is called material culture research, and our program presenter, Carolyn Law, is an expert in the field. She is an independent researcher, personal property appraiser, author, collector, and more. Her specialty is sterling silver, and she’s even published multiple articles in Silver Magazine (U.S.). She meets people throughout Northern Illinois for appraisals, consultations, and programming, including many library presentations. At our program, Carolyn will teach attendees what to look for to determine the value of your items (historic and monetary) and share stories she’s gathered through her research. Though attendees are welcome to bring items for discussion, this program is centered on research strategies and tips, and official appraisals will not be administered during the event. “Customers will leave this program with a renewed passion for family heirlooms and the information to discover more about them,” added Ethan.
Chasing that thrill of discovery is what it’s all about. Whether you’re hoping to satisfy a long-held curiosity, document your family’s history, or learn an item’s value before deciding what to do with it, this program offers tools to help. ‘Listen to Your Heirlooms’ is Tuesday, July 28 at 6 p.m. at the Santori Library. For more information, visit www.aurora
publiclibrary.org/event/16306860 or contact the library at 630-264-4117. Every heirloom has a story. Sometimes, all it takes is knowing how to listen.
Andrea Tiberi is the communications coordinator for the Aurora Public Library District.